"Can you voluntarily meet the needs of disabled people in the market and work place?" ­ that is the challenge for corporate Britain, according to David Grayson, chair of the National Disability Council (NDC).

Launching the NDC's fourth annual report, he said that there is a need to get disability higher on the agenda in Britain's boardrooms and that inaction is no longer an option. He warned that if companies do not act voluntarily then "the case for tougher regulation and enforcement to guarantee the Government manifesto commitment of comprehensive and fully enforceable civil rights will be overwhelming".

He was clear that meeting the needs of disabled people is part of business excellence. "If staff look after disabled customers well, you can be confident that customer care generally is in good shape. If you are good at attracting, developing and retaining talented disabled employees you are probably an organisation that nurtures talent generally".

Created in January 1996, the NDC is an independent body with statutory duties to advise the Secretary of State on measures to reduce or eliminate disability discrimination and the operation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). Over the past year, it has advised in a number of areas. These included proposals for a revised Code of Practice to coincide with coming into force of the next tranche of duties under Part III of the DDA. From 1 October 1999, organisations the provide goods, services or facilities to the public will have duties to:

provide auxiliary aids and services to make their services accessible to disabled people;
change policies, practices or procedures which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service; and
provide a service by reasonable alternative means where physical barriers make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service.
Together with Professor Brian Doyle of Liverpool University, the NDC, has developed proposals for a revised code of practice, giving practical guidance on how to prevent discrimination against disabled people in accessing services or premises. Final proposals for the Code were submitted to Government in February 1999 and laid before Parliament in April. The Code will come into operation at the same time as the relevant Part III provisions on 1 October 1999.
From the outset, the NDC has seen itself as a bridge-builder between disabled people and employers/goods and service providers. During the year it has worked with a range of organisations in building partnerships to tackle discrimination. These include the British Bankers' Association, which has worked with the NDC to develop a guide, based on the revised Code of Practice, to help the banking industry to understand how the new

Part III obligations will impact on the sector. The guide highlights the need of disabled people, using industry-specific illustrations. A similar guide has been produced by the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government in conjunction with the NDC.

The NDC is now in its last year of existence before it is superseded by the Disability Rights Commission(DRC). The Disability Rights Commission Bill received Royal Assent on 27 July 1999, and the DRC is expected to start work in April next year. It will be under a duty to work towards the elimination of discrimination against disabled persons; to promote the equalisation of opportunities for disabled persons; to take such steps as it considers appropriate with a view to encouraging good practice in the treatment of disabled persons; and to keep under review the working of the DDA.

The Disability Rights Commission Act fills a major gap in the enforcement of rights under the DDA. It will provide much-needed help to individuals taking action under the DDA and will have power to conduct formal investigations and issue non-discrimination notices. It will also have power to enter into legally binding written agreements with organisations on remedial action to stop discrimination, and power to suggest changes to practices or procedures where an investigation has produced evidence of unlawful discrimination and to be able to require an action plan to be prepared (see EOR 83 and 86)